Seek Peace Within

“If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.” – Marvin Gaye

There are seemingly some complicated and tumultuous things happening in the world right now. (My dear friend likes to remind me that the world is always complicated and tumultuous.) And, it is also always simple, beautiful and filled with love. The truth is, it is a lot easier to have clarity, when we are viewing life with the proper perspective.  When we are stressed, seeing perspective is difficult.

This is why a practice is imperative for me.
Years ago, my practice used to be a “bonus.”
My general internal dialogue was: Isn’t life great!  And, yoga and meditation made it better.

Then came what can be described as: Survival Mode.
I did what was in front of me, put out the fires, took care of the immediate need.

There was no room for a grand vision of what I was seeking.
So, I simplified things to this phrase:

I seek peace.

In yoga, this can be thought of as Ahimsa. The practice of not causing harm (to others or self).

Then, my next thought would be: How can peace manifest in this moment? This inadvertently became a way of life. One that has helped me in ways I couldn’t imagine. It was a surrender of letting go of the things around me that I couldn’t control, and focusing on the one thing that I could change: me. Then, my perspective would become more clear and the next right indicated action would appear.

I truly believe that if our heart has a whisper of desire for us to do something to rise to our ultimate good, we will be met with unimaginable ways of support.

Rumi said:

What you seek, is seeking you.

When we intentionally relax and create more peace in the moment, we create more peace in the world. Everyone around you can feel if you are stressed or relaxed. That energy is contagious to many and it ripples outward.

So, how do we seek peace? How can we BE PEACE?

Peace in this moment, can bloom by something as simple as me having 7 deep breaths. Then, I have a little more patience with my kids.

Peace is cultivated when I take a moment to P A U S E.

Ultimately, these moments of peace link together and life doesn’t cause as much ‘reaction’.

Peace manifests within the moment and builds to more.
Clarity around what we seek is met with a smiling universal reflection of truth.

Here is a simple visualization to help you bring some peace into your day ~

– Sit down and close your eyes. 

– Have a deep full breath and release a long exhale. 

– Slow down your breath and listen closely to your inhale and exhale.

– Imagine a vast ocean with large crashing waves and a raging storm.

– In your mind’s eye, imagine what it would look like to hover on the surface and then slowly descend down below.  Notice the further down you go, the more still the water becomes.  Way above, the storm rages on, yet deep below, there is complete peace.  Drop down a little deeper and listen to the quiet.  Feel the stillness. 

– Hear a few more ocean breaths and let your shoulders and face relax.  Release your jaw. Soften your belly.

– Let a gentle smile come to your lips, knowing that this is our truth: 

Even with chaos all around, when we drop deep inside of our self – there is always peace.  There is an infinite ocean of quiet, stillness and calm to tap into.

– Breathe in that knowing ~ again and again.